MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Brittney Griner had 14 points and 11 rebounds in her season debut after serving a suspension for domestic violence, but it wasn’t enough as the Phoenix Mercury lost to the Minnesota Lynx 71-56 on Saturday night behind Maya Moore’s 21 points.
Griner was 5 of 9 from the field for the Mercury (3-5), who shot just 33 percent for the game and turned the ball over 20 times. DeWanna Bonner and Monique Currie combined to shoot 7 for 27.
Rebekkah Brunson had 14 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks and Lindsay Whalen scored 21 points for the Lynx (7-2).
Griner missed the first seven games of the season while serving her suspension for an altercation with then-fiancee Glory Johnson at their home in April. Griner pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, agreeing to undergo 26 weeks of domestic violence counseling. If she completes it, the charges will be dismissed.
Griner married Johnson a few weeks after the incident, but a day after Johnson announced she was pregnant through in vitro fertilization, Griner said she was filing for an annulment. After so much drama, Griner was relieved to be restoring some normalcy to her life with her return to the court.